Midwinter Luck
by TheGirlScholar
Summary: Remember that one place in the 3rd book in the POTS series...'Cleon leaned down and pressed his lips gently to hers. Midwinter luck, Kel, he whispered.' Well something different happens. Starts just before this at the ball. There's a twist. Also, review!
1. The Tradition

**My wonderful readers! How lovely of you to stop by. -clears throat- erm...this was a little fic thatI thought would be a cool little refresher so I can get back to making you guys like me or in other words so like I can update my other fics! R'n'R please! **

**--TheGirlScholar--**

**P.S. This fic is dedicated to Captain Cheese for no reason at all.

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**Midwinter Luck****

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"You shimmer like a mirage of delight," Cleon murmured as they met in the serving room. They turned in trays of empty cups and plates to take up full ones. "Your teeth call to mind wolfhounds romping in the snow."

Kel smiled up at the redheaded squire. She had never noticed it before, but his eyes were an interesting, clear gray. "Wolfhounds are furry," she pointed out. "I hope my teeth aren't. And teeth aren't cold enough to be snow. How is it that you get sillier every time I talk to you?"

"The joy of our nearness cooks my love struck heart," he explained with a soulful look.

"Or you've been looking at Scanrans longer than is good for you. Spend time with actual girls," she informed him sternly. "You wouldn't call me 'pearl of my heart' then."

"No, it's 'mirage of delight' today. 'Pearl of my heart' was when I was but a mere boy." They stood in the door, looking at the party. "I hate to say it, my dear, but I think our prince is a fathead," Cleon remarked. "There he sits with the most gorgeous creature in shoe leather, excepting your luminous self, of course—"

"Of course," Kel replied, straight-faced.

"—without a word to say. Somebody should tell him the lady can converse, and sensibly, too." Cleon straightened his shoulders. "If I don't return by dawn, wear my handkerchief by your heart forever." He disappeared into a clump of guests.

Kel rolled her eyes. 'Cleon is so stupid. He didn't even give me his handkerchief.' she thought as she rearranged the cups on her tray.

"Did Cleon kiss you for Midwinter Luck?" a familiar voice drawled in her ear.

Kel could melt as she felt Neal's breath on the side of her head and neck.

She turned to face Neal. "No. Did he kiss _you_ for Midwinter luck?"

Neal looked at her with mock hurt. "Are you implying that you think Cleon is _gay_?"

Kel grinned and Neal chuckled.

"Naw, Kel. I was just wondering if you'd been kissed for Midwinter Luck yet."

Kel raised an eyebrow. "And why would you want to know that, dear Nealan?"

"Well you know the tradition of Midwinter, right?"

"Not really."

He stood there gaping.

"Well, nobody told me what it was. They just expected me to know it already!" she said in self-defense.

"Fine. I'll tell you what it is."

"Go 'head, I'm listening."

"Okay. Well, the tradition started about 100 years ago when King Alexander and his queen, Queen Arynia were ruling Tortall. They had only one child and her name was Princess Cecilia of Conte. So basically, Cecillia falls in love with Prince Eric of Slativedor (it was destroyed 20 years later) during the midwinter festival and he kissed her and said midwinter luck and ya-dah-ya-dah-yadah and it was the described as the most powerful thing. The love was so strong because it happened in the midwinter festivals and that Eric had said those two magic words blah blah blah that no other man could touch the girl until the two had broken up and all the girls want to get kissed at midwinter now."

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Because you said that Cleon didn't kiss you for Midwinter Luck which means," he leaned in real close. "I can instead." Neal pressed his lips gently against hers.

"Midwinter Luck, Kel."

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**So how do you like it? Cuz if my highly trained _review_ers s-tares intensely- don't like it then I'll leave it as a one shot but if my -stares intensely- _review_ers like it then it can be a fluffy little ficlet. -giggles happily- _review_ers like yourselves need practice even if you are highly trained so go 'head and practice! **

**Heart you all to death,**

**--TheGirlScholar--**


	2. Unintentional Betrayal

**Okay so before you all kill me for not updating sooner...MY COMPUTER BLOCKED FANFICTION!!! There I said it...isn't it horrible? Anyway, I'm on my dad's comp...shhhh I'm not supposed to be...hehe...**

**–TheGirlScholar–**

**P.S. This fluffy little ficlet is dedicated to my fellow fanfiction-buddy...wait for it...Captain Cheese!! Sorry I couldn't update before now, CC!**

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Unintentional Betrayal

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Neal pulled back blushing crimson. "I should, uh, go serve now..." He turned away from her and started out the door when a hand gently pulled him back by his arm.

"Neal," she said softly. "Did you-did you mean it," her voice faltered at the end.

Neal looked at her, his eyes serious. After a few second pause, he replied. "I have never meant anything more in my life. Kel, this may be hard to believe right now, but, I think I lo- I like you a lot."

She smiled up at him. Even though she was very tall, Neal was more so. "More than, say, Lady Uline or Daine the _Wildmage_?"

"Sadly, yes."

Kel smacked him on the arm and was about to respond when Master Oakbridge called out, "Nealan of Queenscove! Stop flirting and start serving. And it might do you good to do the same Page Keladry!"

Neal blushed before he grabbed his tray and rushed out the door. Just as Kel was about to do the same, Cleon came in.

"Mirage of Delight!" Cleon said gleefuly. "You're still here? If you stay to long you'll get behind," he warned.

"Shove off, Cleon. I won't get behind. Oh, and by the way, what's that on your tunic," she said with dislike. Just after she said this she stepped around Cleon and went back into the great hall calm and composed as ever.

Before he could think of why Kel was acting so cold towards him, Cleon looked down and saw that he had a big, brown food stain in the middle of his tunic. "Gods, what am I supposed to do _now_?"

"Cleon of Kennan," Master Oakbridge said sternly. "Don't just stand around. Go ser- Great Mithros. What have you got on you _tunic_? Go change. You'll have 2 bells of cleaning dishes after the dinner. You know better than this."

Cleon hung his head. "Yes sir," he muttered before he hurried to his bedchamber.

Master Oakbridge nodded. "Owen of Jesslaw! Come fill in for Kennan until he returns."

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"Gods, I can't wait to get out of here and eat!" Faleron said wearily.

"You're telling me. It's hard work to serve and flirt with the ladies at the same time," Neal said with a sidelong glance at Kel.

"Neal, you have yet to flirt with one lady who is interested in you," Cleon said playfully. "Unlike me. Isn't that right, pearl of my heart?"

Kel looked over at him with disgust. She tried to mask it as soon as she realized but Cleon had already seen it. "Cleo-"

Before she could even finish the first word, she was cut off by Neal. "Great Mithros, Cleon. You really do think to greatly of yourself."

Kel smiled discreetly at Neal. Cleon noticed _that_ as well. Before anyone registered what he was doing he started over to Kel when he suddenly stopped cold.

"Don't you dare," Neal said coldly. "If you haven't already noticed, someone has already kissed the lady page."

Cleon, Faleron and all the other pages that heard stared at Neal with disbelief. Kel turned bright pink.

"Yeah. That's right everybody. Cleon's not the only one who liked Kel and he sure isn't the one that she liked back."

Cleon clenched his fists angrily and was about to respond when he thought better of it. "This isn't over Queenscove," he said venomously.

"Have a nice Midwinter, Kennan." Neal said this with a sweet tone of voice. But there was also a mocking to be heard in it and his eyes were cold with hatred.

Cleon looked at Kel with hope only to see her turn away.

He strode out of the room, already thinking of revenge. 'This is not over. Kel will be mine. Nothing will stop me. Not Kel, not Faleron, not Roald but especially not Queenscove.'

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**So, how was that? Good...baaaaaaaaaaad? ... heh...**

**To all my highly trained reviewers:**

**Green Flames: Thaaaank you... 'A writer is always happy to know that his work is appreciated' ---- from Pirates of the Caribbean with different words.**

**Lisa: Thanks for reviewing. You might want to look into reading my other fics. **

**Spy in Training: -teary eyed- I loooooooooooooooooooove kel/neal fics...but just being me, I'll be nice to you because you let me continue. Review!**

**Blood Tainted Angel: Really? 20 friends? lol I just hope they review. Hope you enjoyed the second chappie...**

**HeadsInTheClouds: love the hurrahs...but one thing...you aren't a skilled reviewer ... you are a HIGHLY TRAINED (but I guess you can be skilled also) reviewer ...lol...review**

**justcallmebubba: omg yes! I haaaaaaaaaate yuki. She totally ruined it for kel...and the rest of us...lol...maybe I will put cleon and her together...I could make it a double bashing...hehe...review**

**star: I got the jealous idea from you!**

**OpalShine: evil? -tears appear in eyes- I'll just be crying in the corner over here...**

**My-brutal-romance: I'm glad I made a fic that you liked...and yes you made me very happy by reviewing.**

**And to all the others:**

**Black-Rose23, Lady Potter of Tortall, usagifan, the-violet-lioness, anonymousauthor1392, firesangel21, NealsChick, Golden23, and to Kelly Masbolle... REVIEW!!!**

**But last of all to...**

**CAPTAIN CHEESE! Sorry about the whole deal thing: update/update...heh...with the whole comp thing I couldn't but I'll try to update Unexpected Change soon!**

**Tell me how you liked it!**

**BTW, heart you all to death mwaaaaah!**

**–TheGirlScholar–**


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